Many imaging sensors digitize wide dynamic range images using a large number of bits per pixel. Most displays of reasonable cost, however, are only able to handle a lower number of bits per pixel. For example, many thermal infrared sensors digitize wide dynamic range images using 12 to 16 bits per pixel. The data produced by these infrared sensors cannot be displayed on typical computer monitors that can handle only 8 bits per pixel. Thus, there is a need for a way to display the wide dynamic range images on a lower dynamic range displays.
Waxman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,244 refers to an adaptive dynamic range remapping apparatus. The remapping done by the apparatus of the Waxman patent uses a contrast enhancement technique based only on local image characteristics and a constant global measure of scene brightness. This is unsatisfactory because the contrast enhancement does not account for significant brightness level differences throughout a scene.